Priorities
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: When John makes a choice to protect Joss and their latest number, she is upset that he is questioning her ability to handle the situation and threatens to end the relationship. Can John convince her to stay? #CareeseIsEternal


Disclaimer: This does not belong to me. I am using anything recognizable strictly for entertainment purposes and the keep my muse sated.

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><p>Priorities<p>

"Shh, it's going to be alright honey. Just hang on just a bit longer" Joss reassured the baby in her arms as she turned her attention back to the metal door before them. Stepping closer, she began pounding on it. "John! Let us out!"

What in the world had that man gotten her into this time?Hearing nothing except some sort of commotion going on outside, Joss growled to herself as the little girl in her arms reached up to grab a lock of her disheveled hair. This took Joss's attention away from their current situation and she smiled down at the child. "I'm sorry Rachel. John is just like that. Always has to be the protector of the weak and he'sstubborn to boot. Should I remind him that I'm more than capable of taking care of myself?"

Rachel gurgled in took thatas an answer and she chuckled. "I'm glad that I've got someone on my side. We'll be out of here soon and you'll be back with your mommy and daddy." Joss cooed as she tried to listen against the door for clues as to what was going on out there.

This whole mess had started when John asked for her help with a kidnapping two high profile lawyers pissed off the wrong people. Members of the Mexican Cartel who they were defending on a drug case had broken into their condo in upper New York. When Joss got herself assigned to the case, she discovered the true horror of the situation; the couple's only daughter Rachel,who was only three months old, had been taken. Joss assumed she was taken as collateral to make sure the drug dealers walked during their trial.

Whoever these guys were, they made a huge mistake messing with a baby. Joss knew from experience with baby Leila that John would make sure that Rachel got back safe and sound and with as many kneecaps shot as possible along the way. It didn't take too long to find the whereabouts of the kidnappers. They were a couple of second hand guys for the Cartel, making sure that there wasn't a connection made between the main men if their cronies were caught. The dealers could defend themselvesby saying that some of their guys had gone rogue and gotten greedy. Finch managed to track their phones to a warehouse near the docks. Joss had been surprised that John had asked for her help, she knew how much of a lone wolf he was.

Getting in had been the easy part. Joss was a bit pissed that John had stuck her in this small room with Rachel once they found her. Turns out the two guys weren't the only Cartel members here. Getting Rachel away from her captors, John gave the baby to Joss and locked them in the room before she could argue. She wasn't only angry at his lack of faith that she could have helped with more than just babysitting. Now she just wanted John to be okay so that she could yell at him and then hug him tightly. God, she hated it when he did this. As much as she did notwant to admit it, John had become important to her. Joss knew that it wasn't just a friendship between them. Even she couldn't describe it as anything other than 'whatever this is'. Their relationship really didn't have a word to describe it.

Joss was pretty sure John didn't feel the same. Joss was fine with that. John felt like he was too broken to have someone care about him, that he was too dangerous to get close to. Funny considering that she, Finch, and surprisingly, Fusco all became closer to him. John probably had no idea how much he did to build the team.

The doorknob jiggled, breaking took Joss out of her thoughts. She could still hear crashing and commotion on the other side. Taking a defensive stance, her free hand went for her department issued pistol and she aimed it at chest height."Aww, c'mon baby, open up. There's no one to help you and the little bundle of joy. We took care of your boyfriend. There ain't nobody left to help you." Joss's stance faltered slightly as her heart ached at the words. Surely he was lying. There was no waythat John would be…

Another thud followed by another crash. There was no sign of the potential intruder that had beenon the other side of the door. Joss felt movement in her arms. When she looked down, Rachel appeared to be grasping for the door. Taking a step closer with her pistol still in hand, Joss waited with bated breath. Instead of jiggling the doorknob, whoever it was knocked against the metal plating. "You didn't…think I would go down…that easily did you Detective?"

John would have been shocked by Joss's happiness at the sound of his voice. She was quick to open the door, only to gasp at the sight before her. The room behind him was a complete mess with lots of unconscious thugs lying about. John wasn't exactly healthy himself. He was pretty beat up Joss saw; there were blood and cuts on his body, even with his black suit on. The lecture Joss wanted to give him about what he had done would have to wait. For now, they needed to get Rachel home to her family.

Then again, that didn't mean she couldn't grill him. "God John, what were you thinking? She chastised when she stepped up to him, Rachel gripping the fabric of his shirt when she was within range. "You go ahead and lock us in here with no way of getting out while you go ahead with your stupid macho mentality."

He had the nerve to smile at her despite his current state. "Well, I wanted to make sure it was safe before coming back." Despite the fact John was obviously in pain, he smiled at Joss. He then leaned over and brushed Rachel's cheek. She cooed and giggled in response. Even though she was still angry, Joss couldn't help the smile on her lips at the sight, remembering how good he had been with baby Leila. The man had such a big heart for children. Joss wondered if the man wanted to be a father himself before pushing those thoughts aside. The two of them still had a bundle of joy to deliver back home.

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><p>Standing in front of John's door, Joss tapped her foot, impatiently waiting for the occupant inside. The rest of the case had gone off without a hitch. Last night, Joss had the pleasure of returning the little girl back to her parents who were grateful beyond belief. It surprised her that the parents wanted to offer her a financial reward for her efforts because she obviously left John's name out of the report. Of course Joss refused, saying that it was just part of the job. Rachel seemed a bit sad to see her go but Joss gave her a small wave to brighten her up before going home.<p>

After going home and freshening up, Joss thought of the many things she should "discuss" with John. He upset her in about six different ways and she wondered if she shouldn't just rake him over the coals. That's why she was here in front of his loft after another boring work day. Joss hadn't heard from him today and when she called Finch she found out that John was forced to stay off the job while Shaw took care of things.

Joss suspected that he was avoiding her. What other reason would he have for calling away from work? Yeah, he had been pretty beat up yesterday but Joss had seen him in worse shape and still raring to go on another case right away.

The unlocking of bolts caught her attention. Joss watched as the door slid opened to show a half-naked John Reese, wearing sweatpants and nothing else, covered in bandages. All he did was casually lean over and looked at her a moment before talking. "Well, well. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit Detective?"

She didn't hesitate to get to the point. "I'm done working with you." John raised an eyebrow in confusion as she continued. "There is no way that I'm going to continue on with this relationship when you don't trust me to take care of myself."

"Carter, that isn't it." John saw that she was inching further away from the door. He wasn't going to give her up that easily. Without giving her the chance, he grasped her wrist and dragged her inside despite the protests she made and her threats to kick his ass. To keep her from just pulling open the door to get out, John pressed his body closer to her while avoiding actual body contact.

He could see her growing uncomfortable with his lack of respect for personal boundaries. Joss sought for any way to escape while avoiding his eyes. "There is nothing else to talk about. I'm tired of the games with you. Sometimes I think that you actually have that trust in me but then you go ahead and pull that shit like you did in the warehouse. I don't want to argue about this with you anymore."

"Carter, it's going to turn into an argument because you don't understand" John tried to calm her down. He still refrained from touching her though. If he did that, John didn't know if he would be able to control himself.

Joss shook her head violently as she began pushing against his chest. "I understand perfectly. You were doing your job. I get it. Rachel and her parents are grateful even if they will never know who you are. Mission accomplished, but like I said before, I'm done working with you."

John knew this was different from all the other times she would be angry with him. A simple apology wasn't going to help. He thought that he knew her quite well but Carter appeared to have finally had enough of him. As much as he didn't want to admit it, it scared him. "What's wrong with you Carter? Why are you acting like this? I mean I thought you got a kick out of chewing my head off." He thought that he would try to lighten the mood but never in the three years that he'd known her had she ever done what she did next. The side of his face burned as Joss's hand swiftly went up and slapped him. John must have been out of it to not be able to see the action coming, but then again, it was from her.

Her hand hurt like hell, but she wouldn't admit that. Joss couldn't stand the fact that he took this conversation as lightly as he did. Finally she had enough and let him have it. The slap did nothing to alleviate the anger, if anything it made it worse because now she was angry at herself. Joss allowed herself to care about him in a much more personal way than she had ever intended. She had been surprised that they had even grown to become friends. Now, standing here with him so close to her, she didn't know if she wanted just friendship anymore. No, she could let herself fall into those thoughts. "You are a jerk. One of those guys came up to the door and told me that they took care of you. Do you have any idea how awful I felt, not even knowing if it was true or not? You go ahead and put yourself out there for everyone, even if they can fight for themselves. I'm a cop and was in the military but you keep thinking that I'm one of these frail women that you're accustomed to taking a bullet for."

Once John fully recovered from her actions and words, he spoke up. "It…it wasn't that Joss. I wanted the person that I trusted the most to protect Rachel. It wasn't that I thought of you like that. I know that I'm not good at saying things right but that's the last thing that I think."

As she continued to fight him, Joss allowed herself a moment of weakness as his arms surrounded her. Her eyes caught sight of some mangled skin accompanied by a lone straight line that appeared to run deep. One hand that was pressed against his chest slide over, the tips of her fingers tracing the fresh wound. "This is why I don't want to work with you anymore" she finally said, her voice not containing any of the malice that she had earlier. "Just the fact that you get hurt so much helping others. To think that this was partially because of me…"

"Hey, hey" John said gently. "Don't worry about it. This is nothing compared to when I was in the CIA. I would prefer this over the other…" He never got the chance to finish his sentence as Joss once again did something unexpected for her. The hands that lingered on him wrapped around the back of his neck before dragging him down to fuse her lips with his. There was something maddening about this kiss and John responded back in kind by pressing her further into the door. Instead of blocking her in, his arms now slowly wrapped around her smaller framer. He encircled her, one arm splayed across her back while the other inched its way further down.

Changing the angle of the kiss had Joss pressing her body harder into his as her fingers dug roughly into his scalp. She cared about the vigilante more than she wanted to admit to him or herself. It couldn't be helped. Once the lack of oxygen forced them to separate, Joss noted the small flicker of something in his blue eyes.

She pushed away again, needing the separation to get her thoughts together before speaking again. "I don't want to be around you because if I do, I might not be responsible for what I do next. You are too wreckless and I don't want to lose you without understanding how I feel."

John's large hands cradled her face as he leaned in to press a soft kiss on her lips. "And how do you feel Detective, I'm quite curious." She didn't say anything else but John saw it in her eyes, the look of compassion and possibly love. This case had pushed her to the brink and now Joss was putting everything on the line before it was too late. There were only so many times this man could cheat death.

"Even if you weren't working with me, I would still protect you. As much as you hate it, remember that you aren't alone Joss."

She nodded her head in understanding. "I know but that doesn't mean that I can't hate you for it, you know."

"I can start making up for it right now." His head bent down to nuzzle the spot underneath her ear. Joss's breath hitched , her body responding from such a simple touch. It was a roller coaster ride of feelings and she wanted to stay on for as long as she could.

John's tongue then snaked out to trace a path along the vein in her neck, traveling up and down in a painfully slow speed. The hoarse moan that Joss let out had his body coming alive. Her arms hooked under his and he could feel the small tug of her nails on his skin. "And how do you plan to '_gasp_' start? You really hurt my '_moan'_" John replaced his tongue with teeth and began to nip his way across her neck. The pressure on his back increased and he hissed, sucking her skin further into his mouth.

"John…" Her voice was quivering and her senses were out of control. All Joss could understand in this moment was the feeling of his hands and mouth along with the strong scent of his woody aftershave surrounding her. It was a bubble with just the two of them.

"Joss…" Finally relinquishing her neck, he then traced the outside of her ear with his tongue before whispering into it. "I'm going to make it up to you by showing how important you are to me." During their activities, John's hands had laid motionless on her hips. Now one began to slowly move up. "My priority now is to make love to you until you are thoroughly satisfied."

Pulling back, John studied her face, seeing that her eyes were closed and her mouth was slightly open. Feeling his gaze, Joss looked at him and smiled before pulling him closer. "I would like that very much" she whispered before their lips collided again. As it deepened and connected them on another level, John's hand continued its journey up, this time sneaking under Joss's shirt and touching that beautiful mocha skin that he admired. The shirt was soon on the floor when they pulled away from each other again, leaving Joss in her black bra while still wearing her slacks and shoes.

John couldn't resist going back and tasting Joss's skin again, taking his time. Holding her in a strong grip, he boldly went further down. Her hands dragged through his hair, hoping to guide him where she wanted him. To think that this was finally happening between them, she wanted no one else. Joss could only pray that Finch wouldn't run into an emergency and need John's help now.

An electric sensation pulled Joss out of her thoughts as that devilish tongue of John's traced her hardening nipple through the material of the bra. A gasp came from her when John replace his tongue and instead began to lightly nibble on the bud as if it was a soon grew tired of the material in his way and edged his hands up to sneak under the bra. John then eased it up and out of the way, cupping her bare breasts in his hands. It seems as though they were made just for him and John couldn't help but smile.

Her chest moved up and down with her short breaths. Joss felt lighted headed from everything John was making her feel. The skin to skin contact was so erotic to her. She knew that it would bring her and John even closer. Oh, and the man had such a wicked tongue. Not only was he a smart ass but Joss had to give him his due for being a great kisser and so attentive to her needs. All of his focus was on her. It was so long since Joss had been with a man physically, the last time being with Paul before she had been shipped to Afghanistan.

How her tastes have changed in the last few years! Joss wouldn't have found herself attracted to a man with lighter skin then hers. It wasn't something that appealed to her. However John Reese made her a believer because of his heart. The man would put everything on the line for you and didn't ask for anything in return. There were qualities about him that were near impossible to find nowadays and she thanked her lucky stars to this day that she had been the one chosen to interrogate him all those years ago.

He finally stopped torturing her nipples and began to move slowly down, too slowly in her opinion. Ugh, the man was thorough, even when it came to sex. Her stomach clenched as his tongue slipped into her belly button. Joss bit her bottom lip to hold back the giggle that bubbled in her throat.

"Ticklish much Joss?" John couldn't help but tease her. This was something new that he learned about Joss. He would never forget it. Joss was going to become his and John wanted to learn every inch of her. That's why the distorted skin just to the right of her belly button caught his eyes as her shirt came off. Pulling back, John's eyes scan the wound before taking one of his hands which were holding Joss still by the hips, and lightly passed his fingertips over the rough mocha skin. He had suspected she knew it's origin. It was another dark part of their lives that they individually experienced. "Iraq?" John questioned as his fingers continued to caress her.

"Fallujah" Joss answered. Her voice sounded desperate for something. It seemed like it was hard for her to vocalize what she wanted right now. Maybe her brain just couldn't process what was going on.

John could say for sure that he never imagined that he would find himself in this situation. It had been so hard to move on for him but Joss had been there for him every step of the way. Cherishing her body would be one of the ways that he would thank her for putting up with him. Joss would be his priority for however long she would have him. John didn't hesitate to bring his lips on the scar. He felt her body squirm under him and Joss tugging his hair, trying to get him away. "No…don't" she begged.

John took his time. Before long, instead of trying to stop him, Joss's voice changed back to the beautiful moans and groans that he wanted to free hand undid her slacks, passing the button through the hole before lowering the zipper. Those large hands of John's pulled down the loose pants, taking the opportunity to feel those smooth legs under his touch as he continued to love the scar. There was no way he wouldlet her think that he didn't want every part of her, flaws and all. Joss wasn't hiding that she accepted the same from him.

Joss stepped out of the shoes and allowed the pants to slip off, leaving her in her black panties. John finally sat back to get a good look at her. Her body was giving itself completely over to him and what he wanted to give to her. "You are so beautiful Joss" he whispered with reverence.

This drew her attention. Instead of the reluctant feelings he sensed earlier, Joss gave him a small smile while drawing her fingers through his soft hair again. She placed hands on either side of his head and brought him back up to her lips, planting a soft kiss. John wrapped her up in his arms, taking a moment to undo and discard the bra to join the rest of her clothes. Joss's breast pressed against his strong chest as she snaked her arms around his neck and dug her tongue into his mouth. Now she wanted to take some control, which John gladly gave. The struggle for control in the bedroom would be an interesting aspect of their relationship.

"Oh god John, take me to bed" she demanded once they separated and caught their breath. With a smile, he gripped her ass before pulling her up off the ground. Joss's legs wrapped around his waist tightly while she playfully licked his ear. He then carried her over to his king size bed.

The silk sheets welcomed her body as John eased the two of them to the middle, letting her slideher upper body off of him. While twisting her body, John saw something that stood out against her dark skin. His fingers grazed the dark ink in fascination. "Well well, Detective, what do we have here?" John suddenly flipped her over to get a better look, chuckling at the squeal of surprise she let out. His eyes studied the ink that lined her entire lower back, the green vines on either side hugged her hips and met in the middle where they merged with a pair of angel wings. John pressed a light kiss against it, directly on her spine. Joss squirmed again in response and gripped the sheets underneath her; she needed John to stop stalling.

He wasn't kidding when he said that Joss was going to be his priority. Those long fingers of his hooked into her panties and slid them down. They were discarded quickly but instead of flipping her back over, John pulled Joss closer to him until she was on her hands and knees. There was nothing coming from her but moans of anticipation over what he was planning on doing. John couldn't resist this woman anymore. Her core was glistening in the soft light of the loft, begging for his attention and he gladly obliged. John's fingers spread her lower lips, showing more of her to him. Joss groaned as she fisted the sheets even more. "No John, please…I-I want you inside of me so much."

"Well Joss, you should have thought about that before you questioned my priorities." With those last words, John leaned forward and lightly traced his tongue over those outer lips. Feeling Joss jump, he took a tight grip of her rear before indulging more in his meal. Her core was dripping with the amount of attention John had given her so far and he indulged in his reward as he tongue tasted his lady love for the first time.

That tongue worked up and down the slit, grazing the small bundle of nerves that John swore twitched slightly as if begging for his attention. All Joss could do in response was curse and moan. She felt her stomach clench as that devilish tongue wormed its way into her, mimicking another action that she so desperately wanted. That warm feeling that she experienced when they started all of this began to spread. It was like her entire being was engulfed in this imaginary flame and only John would be able to help her quench it. "John…I'm…" Joss's breath was ripped away from her as she tried to prolong the feelings that were stirring.

As suddenly as her orgasm was about to burst, the feelings began to ease away. John released his hold on her and Joss felt herself falling to the mattress, breathing heavily. The bed dipped slightly and Joss did her best to turn around. Her body felt so heavy even though she didn't get her release. John helped her make it the rest of the way, giving her another kiss once she was on her back again. He maneuvered between her legs and John swallowed the muffled gasp from Joss. She felt something at her entrance, pressing lightly into her. That dip that she felt earlier was when John rose from the bed to strip himself of his clothes.

John pulled her knees up a bit higher on his waist as Joss wrapped her hands securely around his neck. The look that they shared conveyed the words that the two of them just weren't ready to speak out loud just yet. John eased himself forward, pushing his cock into her core. He couldn't help but notice how she was swallowing him up almost instantly. Joss crossed her legs, not giving him much room to move. She squeezed, forcing him to go deeper. John groaned as he became engulfed in her heat. She was so tight, telling him that she hadn't been with anyone in quite some time. John couldn't say the same for himself. After losing Jessica, he couldn't even look at another woman until Joss came into his life. However, being a coward and not admitting that he had real feelings for her, John ran to Zoe for the satisfaction he needed without any sort of commitment.

Now John knew that he wanted a relationship with Joss Carter. She was worth the risk and there was no doubt in his mind that she felt the same about him.

Tired of all the games and dancing, John pushed the rest of the way in, letting out a gasp of his own before looking down at Joss. Her eyes were closed and her mouth slightly opened. His arms wrapped around her and he sat back, bringing her into a sitting position. Joss groaned as she felt him pushing deeper into her. She pressed her face into his neck when John started moving. He began thrusting up into her, bouncing her up each time and pounding back down into him.

"Oh god…" Joss groaned into his ear. Her nails were going to leaves some marks on his stomach in the morning. She could feel every inch of him stimulating her clit each time her body came back down on him. "Right…right there John" she encouraged him, needing to feel the release that he had denied her.

John felt as if he was going insane. From the searing heat of her body to her sensual voice in his ear, he knew that it was only a matter of time. Squeezing her rear again, John lifted Joss until she was almost off of him before dropping her back down on his cock, eliciting a scream. Good thing the walls were soundproof or he would have some explaining to do with his neighbors. John quickened his pace as she sat up and began moving to the pace that John set. He was entranced as he noticed the beads of sweat glistening on her body before his eyes found hers. He then pulled her close and growled into her ear, sending shivers up and down Joss's spine. "Damn it Joss, you feel amazing." John's body was fighting against him but there was no way he was going to abandon his mission and he began to pump faster, pushing even deeper inside.

Joss's head shook wildly as her body met him again and again until finally her body began to shake and quiver at the sudden burst of heat emanating from within pelvic muscles squeezed him so tightly that it had John groaning in shock. He lowered Joss back on to the bed and continued to pump into her until finally he was given the glorious satisfaction he sought. After emptying himself into her, John fell a bit forward but used his forearms to keep his weight from crushing her as they both tried to catch their breaths. He then pulled out of Joss, ignoring the pang of loss, before lying next to her. John pulled the comforter up to their waist before drawing Joss closer to him, giving her a kiss on the head.

"See what happens when I take my priorities seriously Joss" he teased.

She leaned up, giving him a gentle kiss on the lips before burying her face in his chest, touching the wound on his arm again. "Even so, I still don't like how you put yourself out there for everyone. Not all of us are weak," she repeated from earlier. "Even tonight, you made it all about me, seeing to my needs. When can someone do something for you for a change John?" Her voice held a serious tone as they looked at each other.

"I guess it's just a habit" he confessed. "You fight for the sake of others long enough, it just sort of sticks with you."

Joss nodded her head in understanding. "Well that life is behind you so you better quit it alright. I forbid you from doing any sort of thing like that with me or you will suffer the consequences."

John chuckled at her threat, even though she knew that Joss wasn't entirely fooling around. "Oh don't worry Detective, I've learned my lesson." He pulled her closer as she yawned her approval. Her head rested just above his heart and strong thumping soon lulled her into a deep sleep. John pressed another kiss into her hair before he followed suit, being sure to remind himself not to make the mistake of underestimating her again.

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><p>AN: Thanks you so much to SW for betaing not only this but the three other stories I plan on posting today. As everyone knows by now, today is the airing of Episode 9 on POI. Even though Joss Carter did die last year, today was chosen to celebrate this awesome character who has not been forgotten a year later. For everyone, enjoy today and be sure to participate in any way you can. #JossCarterIsEternal


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